An interesting study seems to show a marked correlation between how the language you speak affects your motivation to do things that will only benefit you in the future. This means dieting, saving, exercising and paying into pensions.
Languages like Finnish don’t have a strong future orientation. You need to add words to “now speak” to describe the future. As a result, behaviours associated with current discomfort for future gain, seem more immediate compared to other languages such as English for example. In English, there is a whole tense to describe the future. I am going to…. I will ….and so forth. As a result, well, tomorrow can seem a bit like manana….it never seems to come around.
Seems incredible? This article and associated video explains:
Diabetes Diet 